Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines.



t W. A. GILL. ROTARY VAVE FOR INTERNAL ,GOMBUSIION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FIL'ED NOV. G. 1913.

1,1 30,896; Patented Mar. 9; 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l/Vl/ENTUH my? Always Wizz/m Aal/1.

@LM v er A fr0/mfr W. A. GILL.y ROTARY VALVE FOB. INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.6, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

' W. A. GILL. ROTARY VALVE EOE INTERNAL GoMBUsTLoN ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1913.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

s sEEETssEEET s.

VVE/V701? William A. Gill.

o N UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM n GILI., or PORTLAND, OREGON, As'sIGNoR 'ro GIIiL-cook vALvr. co., or PORTLAND. Oia-EGON, A CORPORATION or OREGON.

ROTARY vALvn For. INTERNAL-coIvIisUsTIONENGINES..

Specification of Letters Patent. .a

Patented Main-9, 1915.

Application filed November 6, 191.3. Serial No. 799,535.

TQ' all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. GILL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Portland, in the county of Multnomah, State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rotary Valves for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the valve mechan ism of gas engines, especially Of four-cycle engines, and one of the main objects of my invention is to provide a valve which will remain duid-tight in service, without depending on packing rings. I attain this object bythe combination of a cylindrical valve chamber and a hollow rotary valve therein made of a plurality (preferably two) of segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces; the interior of the valve being in direct communication with the combustion chamber, and the driving iiuid being conducted through said valve; thus utilizing the pressure of the fluid in the valve asa l means for holding the valve parts in gas tight relation with the valve seat in the chamber. It is evident that the opposed facesy of the valve parts and the seat will maintain each other true, though worn away in service. I find it convenient to make the axis of my valve approximately co-incident with the axis of the combustion chamber.

An incidental object of my invention is to so construct the valve that it may be easily and quickly removed from the cylinder. Furthermore, the intake and exhaust ports are made in duplex, and the manifolds of the intake ports are so arranged that they may be fed from one or two carbureters.

In the accompanying drawings z Figure 1` is a side elevation of a four-cylinder lffouit cycle engine embodying my invention; a portion of the engine case is 4broken away so as to show the valve and its driving connections; Fig. 2 isa plan view of the front portion of the engine, the top casing having been removed; this view shows the means for driving the rotary valve, and also the star shaped Vhead which holds the valve in place, at the same time permitting a complete inspection OI the valve geai l-drive; Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the engine taken approximately on the line A--lr'of Fig. 2; one-half of the valve is shown in this view, and is so positioned that its ports are in rev8 is a side elevation of the piston-like driving head of the valve; Fig. 9 is an elevation of the pin which holds the valve and driving head firmly together, at the saine time tending to spread the sections of the valve away from each other; Fig.` 10 is a plan view of the driving head shown in Fig. 8; and Fig. 11 is an elevation of the valve, driving head, and thrust bearings which may be entirely removed from the engine by the removal of the studs shown in this view.

I will describe my invention as applied to the valve mechanism of a four-cylinder engine. In Fig; 1, a represents any form of four-cylinder, four-cycle engine, but it is to be understood that my rtary valve may be used in connection with any type of engine wherein rotary valves are practical. In describing my invention, I shall refer briefly tothe parts of the engine shown, and describe in detail only the valve mechanism. 'Ih'e engine casing is indicated by b, the usual water jackets by c, and the crank case by (Z. The Oil reservoir e is bolted onto the crank case d, and the oil pump f,'operated from the engine shaft g, pumps the lubricating oil up through the oil pipes h into the oil grooves It of the valve chamber'. The cylinders j, pistons lc, andsp'ar-k plugs Z are all o f lthe usual construction, as are also the crank handle 7n and fan n. The clutch case, yo, is shown at the right end of Fig. l, and the intake and exhaust manifolds, p, g, conneet with the intake and the exhaust ports r, s. The ports and manifolds are made in duplex, being the same on either side o f the engine;- such arrangement I claim as new with respect to the usual construction of gas engines. Furthermore, the intake and exhaust ports changev from long' slot-like apertures r2, s2 in the walls of the valve chambers to circular openings r3, s3 at the exterior ofthe engine casing. See Figs. 3 and 4.

The valve chamber, z', is of cylindrical form, of slightly lesser diameter than the cylinder y', and in approximate axial alinement therewith. The lower end of said valve chamber is provided with an'annular shoulder t, which forms a seat for the lower end of the valve u. Oil grooves h in the valve cham.- ber z' alford means for lubricating the valves. The valve, u, is rotatably mounted in the chamber z', the details of said valve being as follows: Two approximately semi-cylindri cal sections as o (one of which is shown perspectively in Fig. 7) are arranged with their inner faces o5 placed in contact, inside the valve chamber. Each section 'v lis cored out so as to form a'cup-shaped chamber w, open at the bottom and closed at the top. A peripheral groove 126 on the interior, at the bottom, of the valve sections, fu, forms a seat for an expansion spring ring the latter tending to exert a constant outward pressure, thereby holding said valve sections on their seats. Each valve section is made with approximately half of the port openings as shown at fu in Fig. 7, so

that when the valve sections are assembled the valve, u, will have ports r, s. See Figs. 4 and 11..

The upper end of each of the valve sections, o, is rovided with a slot, as shown at 'v3 in Fig. and in the lower end of such slot is formed one-half of a cylindrical hole o?, the lower end of which is tapered outward. llfhen the valve sections' are assembled, the slots o3 will form a seat for a spline y and through the hole o4 extends the binding pin 2. See Figs. 3 and 9. The lower end of the binding pin 2 is formed with a tapered head, so that when the pin is drawn up tightly such head will act as a wedge whereby the valve sections will be relatively forced apart and against their seat.

'The piston valve head y (see Figs. 3, 8 and 10) is seated on the valve sections, and an expansion ring y2 provides a gas-tight fit between said head and the walls of the valve chamber. rIhe head jz/ is connected to the driving means, the spline y forming the driving connection. Said head y is made with a cylindrical portion y, of reduced diameter. The binding pin 2 extends through the head y. A helical gear, 8, is keyed onto the upper end of the head y. A thrust bearing plate 4 separates the gear 3 from the star-plate 5, the latter being bolted to the upper end of the engine casing; see Figs. 2 rand 3. An upper thrust bearing plate 6 is keyed to the upper end of the head y above the plate 5. A coilspring 7, on the projecting end of the bind-i ing pin 2, forms a resilient seat for the adjustable nut 8, the latter threaded in said end of the pin 2. Helical gears 9, mounted on a longitudinal shaft 10, mesh with and drive the gear 3 and thereby the rotary valve al; a two to one, or other convenient speed.

The end thrust of the shaft 10 is taken care of by thrust bearings at the end of the engine, as indicated at 1l in Fig. l. The forward end of the shaft 10 projects beyond the engine casing and is driven from the engine shaft by some 'convenient means, e. 5 1., a two toone chain, as shown at l2 1n Figs. l and 2. A case 13 incloses the chain drive, and the top ll incloses the upper portion of the engine. It is to be noted that the driving connections between the engine shaft and the valve are adapted to drive the latter with a rotary motion and at a speed of one revolution to every four of the former.

In designing my valve, it is necessary tha the cubical capacity of the interior of the valve be figured as a part of the compression space permissible in the particular type of motor to which the valve is to be applied.,

If this rule is not followed the engine-may still run but will not run eliciently. Since experience has formulated a rule governing the proportionalv circumferential width of the ports in a rotary valve for gas engines of the lfour-cycle type, in other words, limiting the width of said ports,`and necessitat` ing the increasing of the' length thereof in order to increase their area, and since I desire to avoid increasing the diameter of my 1. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising 'a cylindrical valve chamber and a hollow rotary valve therein made of a pluJ rality of detached segmental sections having longitudinalv abutting faces, the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure ofsuch fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation with the valve seat, the interior of the valve constituting a part of and being made proportional to the compression space of the engine. i

2. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber and a cup-shape valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longi tudinal abutting faces, the open end of the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such Huid being'thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluidtight relation with the valve seat, the interior of the valve constituting a part of and being made proportional to the compression space of the engine.

rality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces,

the interior of the valve communicating with the .combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve andthe pressure ofsuch fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in duid-tight relation with the valve seat; a thrust bearing for the inner endl of the valve; and means holding the valve aga-inst said bearing.

L1. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber and a hollow rotary valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the interior lof the valve communicating Wit-h the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation with the valve seat; a thrust bearing for the inner end of the valve; yielding resilient means holding the valve against said bearing; and means holding the valve sectinns/to their seat portions.

5. In a. gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber and a holloW rotary valve therein made. of a plu rality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation with the valve seat; a thrust bearing for the inner end of the valve; yielding resilient means holding the valve against said bearing; and means holding the valve sections to their seat portions, part of such means being included vin said means yieldinglyholding the valve to the thrust bearing.

G. In a gas engine, fvalve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chambery and a hollow rotary valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections -having longitudinal abutting faces, the interior of the valve communicating With the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilizedto hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation v with the valve seat; a thrust bearing for the inner end of the valve; means holding the' valve against said bearing; other means adapted to thrust the inner end of the valve parts against the valve seat; and means in the open end of the valve forV thrustingthem against the valve seat.

, 7. In a gas engine, valve mechanism com- I'prising a cylindrical valve chamber and a hollow rotary valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said vvalve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation with the valve seat; a thrust bearing for the inner end'of the valve; means holding the valve against said bearing; other means, in-y cluded in said'holding means, adapted to thrust the inner end of the valve parts against the valve seat; and meansL in the open end of the valve for thrusting them against the valve seat. l

8. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber Aand a hollow rotary valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections Ahaving v longitudinal abutting faces, the interior of the valve communicating With the combus' tion chamber, and-the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valvelparts in fluidtight relation with the valve seat, the interior of the valve constituting a part of and being made pro- I 9. In a 'as en me valve mechanism comrlsmo a c lindrical valve chamber anda hollovv rotary valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the interior 1of the valve communicating ivithf'the vcombustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation 'with the valve seat, the interior of the valve constituting a part of and being madeproportional to the compression space of the engine; a thrust bearing for the inner end of the valve; means holding the valve against said bearing; other means adapted to thrustthe inner end of the valve parts against the valve seat; and means in the open end of the valve for thrusting them against the valve seat. Y

10. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber and a cup-shape valve therein made of a plurality of det-ached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the open end of the interior of the valve communicating With the combustion chamber, and the driving 'Huid being lconducted through said valve and the pressure of such fluid being therebyf utilized to hold said valve parts in Huid` Y tight relation with the valve seat, the in-` of detached segmental sections having lon- I gitudinal abutting faces, the open end of the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving Huid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such Huid being thereb utilized to hold said'valve parts in flui tight relation with the valve seat, the mterior of the' valve constituting a part of and being made proportional to the compression space of the engine; a thrust bearing for the inner end of the valve; means holding the valve against said bearing; other means adapted to thrust the inner end of the valve parts against the valve seat; and means in the open end of the valve for thrusting them against the valve seat.

12. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber and a hollow rotary valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the interior of the valve communicating with the combus- ,tion cliamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through' said valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation With the valve seat; a piston head in the valve chamber on the inner end of said valve parts, a driving connection between such head and said valve parts; means for driving said head; a bearing for the valve head, a rod extending longitudinally through such bearing; a spring element tending to move the rod outward; a connection between the inner end of' said rod and the inner end of said valve parts, and means therewith included adapted to cause the outward movenient of the rod to thrust the inner end of the valve parts against the valve seat.

13. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber and a hollow rotary valve therein made of a plurality of' detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said `valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation with the valve seat; a piston head in the valve chamber on the inner end of said. valve parts, a driving connection between such head and said valve parts; means for driving said head; a bearing for the valve head, a

- rod extending longitudinally through such bearing; a spring element tending to move the rod outward; and a conical head4 on the inner end of the rod and a corresproudig seat therefor in the inner end of said valve tudinal abutting faces, the open'end of the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluidtight relation with the valve seat, the interior ofthe valve constituting a part of and being made proportional to the compression space of the engine; a piston head in the valve chamber on the inner end of said valve parts, a driving connection between such head and said valve parts; means for driving said head; a bearing for the valve head, a rod extending longitudinally through such bearing; a spring element tending to move the rod'outward; a'connection between the inner end of said rod and the inner end of a said valve parts, and means therewith included :adapted to cause the outward movement of the rod to thrust the inner end of the valveaparts against the valve seat.

15. In a gas engine, valve mechanism coinprising aA iylindrical valve chamber and a cup-shaped valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the open end of the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such uid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluidtight relation with the valve seat; a piston head in the valve chamber on the inner end of said valve parts, and a driving connection between such head and said italve parts.

16. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber'and a cup-shaped valve Itherein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the open end of the interior of the valve communicating with the combustion chamber, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluidl tight relation with the valve seat; a piston nal abutting faces, the open end of the interior valve communicating with the comof 'said valve parts, a thrust bearing for the piston, and resilient means connecting the valve and the piston to said thrust bearing.

18. In a gasengine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber and a valve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the open'end of the interior valve communicating with the combustion chamber of the engine, and the driv ing fluid being conducted through said valve, and the pressure of such Huid being thereb utilized to hold said'valve parts in fluid-tight relation with the valve seat, a piston in the valve chamber, such piston removably connected with said valve, a thrust bearing for the piston, and resilient means connecting the valve and the piston to said thrust bearing.

19. In a gas eng' e, valve mechanism comprising a cylindri al valve chamber and a valve therein made Vof a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the open end of the interior valve communicating with the co m bustion chamber ofthe engine, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve, and the pressure of such .Huid being.

thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in fluid-tight relation with thev valve seat, a piston in the valve chamber on the inner end of said valve parts, a thrust bearing for the piston, resilient means connecting the valve and the piston to` said thrust bearing, and means for driving the piston.

20. In a gas engine, valve mechanism comprising a cylindrical valve chamber and a Vvalve therein made of a plurality of detached segmental sections having longitudinal abutting faces, the open end of the in-v terior valve communicating with the combustion chamber of the engine, and the driving fluid being conducted through said valve, and the pressure of such fluid being thereby utilized to hold said valve parts in iluid-tight relation with thel valve seat, a piston in the-valve chamber, such piston removably connected with said Valve, a thrust bearing for thepiston, resilient means connecting the valve and the piston to said thrust bearing, and means for driving the piston. n

. WILLIAM A.. GILL. Witnesses:

, WM. C. SCHMITT,

CECIL LONG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latenti,

Washington, D. C. 

